1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in load supporting structures, and more particularly, to load supporting structures of the type capable of supporting an X-ray apparatus in a suspended position and which are of short spans and capable of being provided in a pre-packaged form and assembled at an on-site location.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
X-ray apparatus are frequently used in many medical facilities such as physicians office, hospitals and the like. The X-ray apparatus is generally adapted for overhead mounting such that it is located near or adjacent to the ceiling of a room or other enclosed environment.
The X-ray apparatus usually includes a frame for supporting a housing containing the X-ray tube. This housing is usually suspended and shiftable vertically along a vertically disposed frame to a desired height. Moreover, the housing of the X-ray tube and the attendent frame must be capable of being shifted horizontally to a desired location. Due to the fact that the X-ray apparatus itself generally has a substantial weight, in the region of at least 800 to 1000 pounds or more, a fairly substantial supporting structure is required. Due to the substantial weight, the X-ray apparatus cannot be connected to the ceiling panels or ceiling grid.
Heretofore, there has been no standard approach for providing a supporting structure to mount an X-ray apparatus. Due to the fact that there are numerous sources for such X-ray apparatus, there are no industry standards of size or weight. Moreover, each supporting structure is generally treated as a customized project, that is a specific supporting structure is designed at the time that an X-ray apparatus is to be installed. Moreover, the supporting structures will vary depending upon the construction of the building and particularly the construction of the overhead ceiling. As a result, not only is the X-ray apparatus expensive, but the necessity of employing architectural firms to design the supporting structure and engineering companies to construct the supporting structure adds substantially to the overall cost thereof.
The installation of an X-ray apparatus usually requires a substantial amount of architectural and engineering efforts, in a new building construction, as previously described. However, when it is desired to install an X-ray apparatus in an existing room or structure, different engineering considerations are involved. Usually, a substantial amount of re-engineering is performed to modify the existing ceilling structure or overhead floor structure and which again results in substantial engineering costs.
Heretofore, there has not been any supporting structure for X-ray apparatus or other heavy loads which is provided in a pre-packaged or so-called "kit" form along with drawings for erection and assembly at an on-site location.